Hearing Set Over Arkansas Voter ID Lawsuit

A hearing is set in a lawsuit over how absentee ballots are handled under Arkansas' new voter ID law, five weeks ahead of the state's primary election.

The Arkansas Republican Party has asked a Pulaski County judge to allow it to help defend the state Board of Election Commissioners for adopting a rule that gives absentee voters additional time to show proof of ID. The Pulaski County Election Commission claimed in a lawsuit last month that the state panel overstepped its bounds with the new rule.

A hearing is set for 9 a.m. Monday in Pulaski County Circuit Court.

The rule allows voters who did not submit required identification with their absentee ballot to turn in the documents for their vote to be counted by noon Monday following an election.